There have been 23 assaults against #VPD officers in 2025 as of February 17, which is 44% more than the 16 that were reported during the same time last year. Here are some instances from the previous weekend:
A #VPD officer was helping paramedics in an ambulance on Robson near Hamilton Street at approximately 8:30 PM on Friday when the situation became dicey. Abruptly disturbed, the patient screamed inside the ambulance and then tried to jump out of the driving vehicle. The patient was carefully restrained and subsequently admitted to the hospital after our officer successfully stopped him from falling.
On Saturday at 10:15 AM, #VPD officers were called to the back of St. Paul’s Hospital for a guy who was refusing to get out of the driver’s seat of a parked ambulance. The subject was initially cooperative, but he abruptly turned hostile toward the cops, causing one officer to require stitches for his leg. The Mental Health Act ultimately led to the man’s capture.
An unidentified person unexpectedly charged at police and tried to take an officer’s gun out of their holster on Sunday just after midnight while officers were at VGH helping a patient. Despite being placed under custody, the 23-year-old resisted and kicked an officer while in handcuffs. The suspect is still being held after being charged.
Dave Mantin